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Re: Collective Reading of Planetes by Makoto Yukimura

At first it felt weird because all the support staff/comany was missing in the original, which added some good filler in the animated version, also Hoshino is clearly the MC in here.

The first couple of chapters had the problem with keeping the appearances alike, so I had to think twice if it's still the same hero or a changing one.^^ But it got better and better with Yuri's face having that distinct art style from Vinland Saga. I like how Yukimura gave Hachimaki that simple face, while providing some more serious and more realistic ones in important scenes. The individual chapters felt well handled.

At first we learned about the dangers of space, well handled as an introduction to this series which is pretty based with the author trying to be as realistic as possible. The second one handles the situation of staying in space and it's implications of creating life there as well as preserving the earthlings life in the wild anddangerous cosmos. Sadly Nono has nearly no appearance in the next ten chapters from that point on. The third one introduced the terrorist element with their fear of abadoning earth, only later fully explained in chapter eight and nine. I loved the comedic spin to it, also liked this version better than it's adaption ep. 12. The home visit was nice too, we learn more about Hoshino's family, while giving room to highlight the topic of "acceptance", for both fate and everyone already being in space. Again nice to see the author create something to ponder about, no comment on the Kyutaro's growth. :P The fifth one deals with the psychological aspects of space-faring, introduces us to his conscience and sparks the flame of his ambition to one day own a space ship himself one day. Also the birth of his most ugly side and prelude to the feeling Tanabe from the second volume.

Re: Collective Reading of Planetes by Makoto Yukimura

Originally Posted by ukimix

Why you like them the most?

I think I liked they the most because they had a more poesy. The image of the smoke you pointed in chapter 3, the compass of Yuri.
Also I can't say that I agree with the ant creed you pointed out. Also we are leaving characters that I liked (Yuri, Fi) for some characters that I appreciate less so far (Hachi's father, Locksmith, Tanabe)

Re: Collective Reading of Planetes by Makoto Yukimura

Originally Posted by k-dom

I think I liked they the most because they had a more poesy. The image of the smoke you pointed in chapter 3, the compass of Yuri.
Also I can't say that I agree with the ant creed you pointed out. Also we are leaving characters that I liked (Yuri, Fi) for some characters that I appreciate less so far (Hachi's father, Locksmith, Tanabe)

I'd like also if Fi and Yuri would have more development. I suppose we will know where to put all those extra pieces like chapter 1 and 3 (dedicated to both of them), in the whole puzzle, once we have read all the story.

I wonder if the french version has a complete version of the poem "Black Flowers Called Sakinohaka" by Kenji Miyasawa. It's featured in Volume 2 according with the english editor.´Its title is the same of two chapters of that volume: 8 and 9. I cant find it in Google.

Everyone,
when the deep-blue horizon swells and rises,
do you feel like submerging yourselves in it ?
Indeed,
You must become the many-shaped
mountains on the horizon.

With a black flower called 'Sakinohaka'
a revolution will soon be here.
It is a ray of light sent to us,
a southerly wind already decided on.
Do you want to endure to keep serving an age
that leads you by force,like a slave ?

Instead, everyone,
you must create a further newer right age.
The universe is ceaselessly changed depending on us.
You must go a step furtherthan using up all the energies of naturelike
the tide and the wind,you must try to form new nature.

Re: Collective Reading of Planetes by Makoto Yukimura

So I'm at the end of chapter 13 and Hachi current apathy is a bit of a mistery for me. Is it because he discovered everything is part of space therefore he didn't need to go to Jupiter to discover it ?

Re: Collective Reading of Planetes by Makoto Yukimura

Originally Posted by k-dom

So I'm at the end of chapter 13 and Hachi current apathy is a bit of a mistery for me. Is it because he discovered everything is part of space therefore he didn't need to go to Jupiter to discover it ?

Chapter 16 has some important clues about it. But I'm not fully satisfied with the possible answers, so I'm looking forward to see how it ends. I'm beginning chapter 22. If I may say, the story has more than one main protagonist, it's not only about Hashi.

I ended. It's a nice story. But I still have some questions and no answers to them. I wonder about Fee, and I feel like if I would have to understand some of Yukimura's personals beliefes to be able to understand his story. I will post my questions in some days when you people have ended your reading.

She didn't know what we know about Sanders, namely, that he was honestly trying to stop the Keesler Syndrome. But it's imposible to blame such a smart woman; in a circunstance like that, nobody would trust a high officer of USA government. Even more, Sanders didn't have many choices, but he should know he was not a trustworthy guy in that moment. The stupid was him, not Fee.

Planetes
by Makoto Yukimura; adaptation by Anna Wenger
published by Tokyopop.

Planetes is the story of garbage collectors in space, those responsible for picking up leftover junk floating around. Yuri is trying to get over the freak death of his wife years earlier. He’s quiet and distracted, putting up with the desolation of the work by losing himself inside his head. Hachimaki is still young, dreaming of making enough for his own ship one day, and not realizing how prying simple questions can be. Fee is their driver, managing the missions.

The unusual setting provides life-and-death possibilities, with a stray piece of debris carrying the potential of sudden decompression if it hits a ship the wrong way. The emotions are equally high, with the mental states of the characters beautifully captured through expression and silent panels where necessary.

This isn’t a gleaming future vision but a grungy, unpleasant-but-necessary job. The art is detailed, building a realistic world that seems like it could happen tomorrow. Cluttered living spaces contrast with breathtaking open spacescapes. These small pages capture the immensity of space in stunning fashion.

The four-page color section at the beginning of the first book sets the mood of loss in the face of the unknown. Open faces allow for emotion as normal people face events much bigger than they are. Hachimaki injures himself in the second chapter, and the author uses his broken leg as a way to explore the nature of space illnesses and what “home” means.

Chapter three focuses on Fee’s attempt to get a cigarette. Smoking in space is a somewhat iffy proposition to begin with, and when terrorists protesting human abuse of the environment begin blowing up smoking areas, her quest is even more aggravated. It’s a wonderful short story about addiction and extreme dedication to something outside ourselves. Other chapters focus on Hachimaki’s younger brother’s attempts to teach himself rocketry and the nature of isolation in deep space. Overall, there’s a contrast between childhood dreams of space and the adult reality of the hard work to make something so difficult happen.

Book 2 opens with plans for the first manned space mission to Jupiter. Hachimaki is beating himself up, training to be selected as part of the crew, when his astronaut father shows up. Although he’s highly sought after by the mission head, Dad just wants to retire. Lofty goals often conflict with everyday actions, and those who reach the top of their fields may lose touch with normal people’s lives, both those they care for and those workers they may not even know. The questions explored here include how much sacrifice should be made to achieve great things and what motivations are appropriate. Selfishness drives a lot of accomplishment, because without that stubbornness, no one would persevere past terrible problems.

For Hachimaki to be able to leave, he has to train Tanabe, a new recruit. Her motivations for working space garbage detail are different than his, which challenges both their perspectives. Tanabe’s support of family connections may make her unsuited for the essential solitude of space work, while Hachimaki supports passion for exploration over any kind of love. Then terrorists get involved, bombing the station and attacking applicants to stop further space exploration. I was reminded, during this action-based sequence, of the quote about staring too long into the abyss causing one to become a monster. Hachimaki’s exploration of the void, both physically and emotionally, drives the rest of this book.

That philosophical self-analysis continues in the third book. On his week off, Hachimaki goes picnicking on the moon. Left alone, he looks into himself and has a mystical experience with a metaphoric cat. Cats also played a role in Tanabe’s unusual childhood, conveyed through a lengthy flashback chapter. Hachimaki finally comes to terms with his place in the vastness of space, allowing him to continue his training, through the courageous care of Sally, a fellow crewmember, and the love of Tanabe.

The fourth book (published in two parts) opens with Tanabe befriending “The Baron”, a clueless, mis-socialized person who claims to be an alien. He seeks friendship, but he’s made fun of. It’s unclear whether he’s really a non-Earthling, or whether he’s so alienated from normal expectations that his behavior seems alien. That’s as intended, symbolizing the loneliness and separation many feel from society. Another kind of alienation is explored in the next chapter, where an executive attends a memorial service for those killed during development of an advanced engine for the space program. The question of the toll exploration takes on those left behind is a theme running through the series, grounding the space adventures and reminding the reader that no man is an island.

The rest of the book compares the behavior of Fee’s son and his tendency to adopt stray dogs to her civil disobedience when faced with the use of orbital mines and the promise of space war between various countries. When the military is determined to fight, regardless of fallout or collateral damage, what can small independent teams like the garbage collectors do? It’s a timely storyline, with the US threatening retaliation when a small number of their soldiers are blown up. The US is so obsessed with winning, with avenging the insult done to them, that they don’t realize that their actions will ruin things for everyone for decades to come. This is also contrasted, through flashbacks to Fee’s childhood, with Southern racism destroying innocent lives.

Although his quiet character-driven storytelling drew me to the title, when needed, Yukimura’s art explodes in impressive catastrophe or gripping action sequences. He plausibly creates a space war that matters, that winds up destroying a natural resource and causing far-reaching environmental disturbances. The series ends with a religious meditation on the mission to Jupiter, livened with comedy as the team searches for the right arrival speech. Ultimately, what drives us all is the basic human desire to be loved, no matter where we go or what we accomplish.

Planetes is often called the manga for people who don’t like manga because of its blend of serious science fiction, drama, humor, characterization, and a classically well-done art style. Anyone who’s curious about the format should check it out. These human-driven stories touch on big themes about one’s place in the universe.

On a second thought, I would have to say that is not as good asc I was hoping. To me, Fee saved the story. She´s the most solid character in the story. Much more than Hashi and Tanabe, and I think she's much more wise than Goro and the big chief of the mission.

I wont' be able to connect in some days. I will come back next sunday. I would like to read what you think about the story, guys. Good weekend! :-)

Re: Collective Reading of Planetes by Makoto Yukimura

Hey guys.

I've been extremely busy the past couple of weeks. I've only managed to finish volume 1 thus far... I'm going to read through the rest this week and write up my thoughts per volume, and then an overall impression. I'm sorry I've been missing lately!

Re: Collective Reading of Planetes by Makoto Yukimura

I give you my personal impression.

If I took this story as one that wants to give me some kind of message about the waste problem in our civilization, then (i) I would have to point that debris problem in 2070s, is also waste problem in ours 2010s… and seen in that way, (ii) I would have to disagree with its message whatever it could be. What role would I try to assume in the world portrayed by the story? And that’s a political question. The point is that Hashimaki mystical solution doesn’t say much to me. As the review points, he accepts his place/role in the vastness of the Universe, and accepts that love is an essential part of that place/role. What a deep thought, but also what a useless thought, since it provide a practical solution for the waste problem.

There, the story fails to portray the political position of people who cares about that problem. The story seems to have only one role for them: the Space Defense Front, but it ridicules them, by giving not a believable output to their quest with their unexplainable stopping to their actions, and with this drawing that seems to portray them as if they were smoking marihuana or something…

Developed nations (USA and Japan included) are the major producers of waste. But also among them there are people who create and work in a respectable way to decrease and solve that problem. Here an example I would like to share.

So to me it’s better if I read the story as it wouldn’t try to give us any message about those kind of problems. Then, I can’t make sense of Hashimaki’s actions. And, again, the story has no satisfactory solution for the SDF: even if they are stupid people, you can’t understand why they stopped their fight.

On the contrary, Fee is quite an amazing and solid character. (Btw, in a world like her’, I would try to assume her role). She doesn’t seems to be affected by the mystical wave that has penetrated their teammate’s way of live. She’s so real, so free and has such a self-determination, and an honourable and believable job. I really like this character. Only her chapters make a pretty good story, very well drawn, and so refreshing to read.

Re: Collective Reading of Planetes by Makoto Yukimura

I kinda agree the title is lacking something. As for the terrorist issue that was resolved rather awkwardly, the space war is a bit superficial. The theme comes a bit out of nowhere and is quickly resolved without that we understand full well the consequences.
As for Hachi last message he is indeed a bit dull.
On the good side, the theme of the space debris was original and I liked the mix of slice of life and science fiction which is something quite rare. There are some interesting themes introduced which may have needed a longer serie to be fully appreciated.

Re: Collective Reading of Planetes by Makoto Yukimura

At first it felt weird because all the support staff/comany was missing in the original, which added some good filler in the animated version, also Hoshino is clearly the MC in here.

I was watching the anime, but I got a bit dissapointed when I saw Tanabe is already in the first episode. I don't like her much, because I feel his character a bit plain an uninteresting. I was wondering if the director of the anime version gave her much more credit than Yukimura in his manga.

Re: Collective Reading of Planetes by Makoto Yukimura

Finshed late. Reading Planetes again was cool. I like how the author does the drama but Hachimaki's philosophic stupidity was a bit too much, the parts like Fee's uncle shined though....

What will be next?

We could begin a new reading next friday, if that is ok with everyone. I suppose it should be one of the most voted. Let's give these days to see if someone else want to comment or discuss Planetes. There havent' been much comments on it. I would like to ask how did you feel with what we are doing. Is there any suggestion about how could this be improved?

Re: Collective Reading of Planetes by Makoto Yukimura

I thought I could have completed it yesterday but I was busy.I just finished vol 2.The 3 first chapters were good but it became better starting from the 4th chapter.Actually,I have a problem with Hachi's characterization.In the first chapters he seemed a little afraid of space and after he became just like his brother.I found also Tanabe a little annoying when they were attacked, seriously why did she kiss him in such a situation?(It was a kiss right?).